Ciao to everyone,
This is my first blog from the other side of the world!
I am sitting in the hotel lobby, with people coming and going. The receptionist speaks loudly, fast, and dramatically. They say that Italian is the romantic language, but I am inclined to think that it is the dramatic language – where the more passion you can inflict in a word and sound, the better.
I feel almost sorry for the Italians, for everywhere I go – today at least – there have been tourists galore. (More noise behind me as another customer enters the lobby!)
I have to tell you that I have been asked three times today where the supermarket was, what street this is, and where to go for that church. Maybe I look like a resident, or perhaps I look safer than a resident to ask.
I started out the day emailing the family to tell them I had landed, typing in a laundrette! There is a big overlap of businesses here, so you can do your mail and get the washing done at the same time!
About three hours after getting off the plane, I was able to take up my room. It was clean and ready for me. I have a very heavy bag. I trundled with it along the pavement to the hotel a few doors down.
In Roma, you seem to get a lobby in one hotel that manages a number of rooms or hotels down the road. So anyway, there is a lift, I was told. After hauling my belongings up six flights of stairs – in stages, with much puffing – I reached the room.
Another couple who had booked after me, leaving the lobby, were just arriving at the other end of the hallway! They had found the lift. It was in another hotel’s hallway that mine shared with them!
I am certainly going to be fitter than when I left NZ, very quickly!
Rome has weather. Heavy rain this morning, followed by sunshine, then this afternoon, chilling wind and sun. Very cold now.
Rome also has museums. I was in one just opposite the Termini train station today. It is only about 500 years old! Leonardo da Vinci designed parts of it. It had been a monastery. He created a wonderful cloistered walkway for the monks around a walled garden.
It is now host to Roman relics – well, actually, Roman artefacts that have been recovered from around the city whenever any roadworks are done. There were also statues in various states of repair.
Around the corner from this museum is a church – Santa… Maria? It has a very plain exterior, but when you enter, it is truly magnificent to behold. It has a meridian line on the floor. I was not sure what it was all about, but I bought the information guide, and tonight before I sleep, I hope to be informed.
The spaces that the architects of the time created are amazing. The fact that they are still here today for me to view shows how clever they were at building. The paintings that line the walls, the altars, the marble floors – Rome has churches.
This started my journey through four more churches. Yes, they have blurred a bit, and in time I will not be able to differentiate one from the other, but what a walk through time and skill I had today.
They are decorated so beautifully. I walked down the Via Nazionale, looking at buildings that now house shops, parks that had walls older than European occupation in NZ, and wandered into churches.
What a testament to skills that we do not have today. Sculpture that looks light and airy, as if the angels will fly away soon. The paintings – they even had to make their own paints from scratch, no tubes from the local store for them!
I have really enjoyed the day.
The street lights started coming on at 5pm, and it is darkening. A tired and leg-weary Robyn wove her way back along streets to my hotel before succumbing to bed – and the food was good as well.
Tomorrow will dawn quickly, I am sure. There are still a few churches I have not seen as yet. One is the big one – the Vatican. I think that might wait for Monday.
There are other places to see, such as Castel d’Angelo. There are also some more museums, little streets to explore, and a river to walk beside.
I will keep you posted. If it gets too boring as I get carried away with how superb this city is, gloss over those bits. But know that it is a wonderful place, even in winter.
Love to you all,
Rome-ing Robyn
PS. These letters are extracted from my email archives.
